1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to printers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a pump utilizing the inertia of the moving print head carrier to pump ink from an ink supply reservoir to the print head.
2. Description of the Related Art
A common ink supply in printers, such as an inkjet printer, supplies a continuous stream of ink from a stationary ink reservoir to either a carrier reservoir on the print head carrier or directly to a print head being moved intermittently across a media being printed upon, such as a page of paper. In order to induce the ink to flow from the ink supply reservoir ultimately to the print head, the printer might include a device, commonly, a pump, for generating some pressure on the ink in the system. The pumps and other devices can either supply positive pressure to the ink supply reservoir to push ink from the ink supply reservoir, or negative pressure at the print head carrier to pull ink from the ink supply reservoir. In either method, the pump or other device utilizes an external source of power to operate.
Prior art ink pumps often utilize the electrical supply of the printer to power the pump components for ink pressure generation. Other pumps and devices known in the art use a direct or indirect mechanical connection to the printer or print head in order to actuate the pressure-generating components. Additional components of the pump increase complexity in manufacture of the printer and a greater number of parts can individually fail and increase the possibilities of overall printer failure due to individual component breakdown.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to include a pump in a printer that does not require an external source of power to pump ink to the print head. In such a printer, a source of existing mechanical force or pressure of the printer could be advantageously used to cause ink transfer at a sufficient rate to supply the print head with ink. Accordingly, it is to the provision of such a system and method that the present invention is primarily directed.